According to officials, this is part of the railways' ambitious vision 2020 announced during Prabhu's budget speech on February 25 this year, which promised zero discharge of faecal matter on the tracks.
In what is good news for passengers who sometimes have to bear filthy toilets in long-distance trains, the railways has scaled up its target of fitting bio-toilets in its coaches from 30,000 units, as announced in the railway budget, to 50,000, as recently decided by the railway ministry. As per the targets doled out to various railway zones, Central Railway (CR) will have to fit 3,250 bio-toilets while Western Railway (WR) will have to fit 3,625 bio-toilets in its coaches by the end of March next year.
During his rail budget speech on February 25, railway minister Suresh Prabhu had announced that the railways would be fitting 30,000 bio-toilets by the end of the financial year on March 31, 2017. The railways had fitted 17,000 bio-toilets in the year 2015-16. In all, the railways would be buying 80,000 bio-toilets to distribute among various railway zones. WR will get 5,800 of these toilets while CR will get 5,200 toilets from these 80,000 bio-toilets.
According to officials, this is part of the railways' ambitious vision 2020 announced during Prabhu's budget speech on February 25 this year, which promised zero discharge of faecal matter on the tracks.
Bio-toilets work in such a way that anerobic bacteria — the kind that does not require oxygen for growth — is introduced into the tank that hold the faecal matter. The bacteria turns the faecal mass into liquid form, which is then chlorinated to disinfect it. This disinfected liquid — with almost the same characteristics as water — is then discharged onto the tracks. Moreover, with the bacteria able to survive sub-zero to 60 degree Celsius temperatures, officials say these bacteria are perfect for the varied weather conditions in which the railways' trains operate. "The bacteria can double in six to eight hours and it survives for three-four months in the tank at normal temperatures. Most importantly, it leaves the toilet in an almost odourless form," said an official.
What these bio-digester toilets do:
1. No foul smell in toilets from the tanks
2. No infestation of cockroaches and flies
3. Effluent is free from odour and solid waste
4. No maintenance required
Bio-toilet targets for various railway zones:
CR — 3,250
WR — 3,625
NR — 5,250
SR — 6,875
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